Conclusions

Our group has come to a conclusion that you can create energy from a natural resource such as water. In doing so we feel that a hydroelectric dam is effective because it produces very little waste when creating energy, but you should consider the fact that it will damage the environment.

Conclusions

This is a photo of our triplet volt meter used in our project to show how much power is being produced. Picture taken by Tyawna Edmonds on April 25, 2007

The Effects of Dams

Although dams are a good alternate energy we have found that they do cause problems surrounding ecosystems. Plants and animals rely on the water flow to survive, but when a dam is installed it disturbs the balance of local ecosystems.

When the river flows through a dam the mud and sand that was carried with the river settles on the other side of the dam. This causes extra force on the dam, which it was not built to withstand. Right now there is no safe economical way to remove this sediment.

Dams also block the migration paths of fish. “Fish ladders” can be installed but they are not much help. Because even if a fish does make it over the dam it usually dies because of the high nitrogen levels in the water. This is like a diver getting the Bends!

The Bends is also known as decompression sickness. The Bends is when nitrogen gas bubbles in the victim’s blood, this is very painful and can often result in death.